Thread twisting apparatus



INVENoR. /Zw/VK Ho/v/ '6.

Kamm

A TTGRNEYS.

F. HONlG THREAD TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1934 Feb. 7, 1939.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFlcE THREAD TWISTING APPARATUS Frank Honig, Pawtucket, R. I.

Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,463

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of thread by the twisting of individual laments, and particularly to an apparatus by which more than one twist can be imparted to the fila- 5 ment for each revolution of the spindle from which the filaments are unwound. v

The apparatus according tomy invention is constructed with a view to the elimination from the spindle driving mechanism of expensive and intricate gear drives and also, to the greatest extent possible, of bearings and other parts requiring oil, which might spatter upon and contaminate the filament being twisted into thread. It further contemplates the regulation while the machines are in operation not only of the speed of the spindles but of their direction of rotation, so that any desired number, or all of the operating spindles may be slowed down, reversed, or stopped entirely, without injury to themselves or to the lament,

Multiple twists may be imparted to laments by two general methods: (l) by holding the thread against rotation between its ends and rotating the ends to the extent desired, (2) by hold- 25 ing the ends against rotation and imparting to the threads at some intermediate point or points the twists desired.

. According to the present invention the two methods above referred to may be said to be combined, the supply spool according to the present invention being used in combination with a takeup spool yas described in my copending application Serial No. 713,252, led February 28, 1934, Patent No. 2,080,918,.May 18, 1937, below identiiied. In this manner a total of three twists may be imparted to the iilament for each revolution of the spindles. 'I'he iirst two twists will be imparted, as will presently appear, while the iilament is in transit from the supply spool to 40 the means for guiding the lament from the supply spool to the take-up spool, and the third and nal twist just before the iinished thread is wound on the take-up spool, as in the aforementioned copending application.

I prefer to drive the spindles by means of a gaseous iiuid, preferably air which is caused to circulate through suitable channels by a pump and actuate impelling means mounted on the spindles which in turn actuate the latter. method of operation serves to do away with expensive belt or gear driving means and the constant necessity of epair and replacement attendant thereon, and permits the spindles to operate at much higher speeds than would be practicableif gear or belt drives were used.

This

trated merely those parts of the apparatus constituting the invention, the take-up spool being omitted as well as all parts of the machine frame except such as are absolutely necessary to make yclear the connection of the subject matter of the present invention with the rest of the machine.

In the present application I claim the package holding means. In my co-pending application, Serial No, 209,349, filed `May 21, 1938, I claim the spindle driving means.

In the drawing:-

Fig. l is a vertical cross section through the spindle according to my invention, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 isa section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically a machine according to my invention, showing a series of spindles from which ilamentv is to be unwound and twisted and showing the attachment of the driving mechanism,

Referring to Fig. l, the core supporting the filament to be twisted is mounted on the spindle A. While there is only one spindle illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be understood that more than one may be employed if it is desired to twist a plurality of filaments together to form the iinished thread, as shown for examplel at G, H, in Fig. 5.

'I'he spindle A of my invention is constructed preferably in two sections, a cylindrical section 2 and a section I, partlyA cylindrical and partly tapered.

` The tapered portion of the 'section I of the spindle A ismounted in bearing- 3, which in turn is tted into a housing 4, provided with cover plate 5 and suitably fastened to the frame B of the machine. To obviate frictional contact between the spindle I and bearing 3 I may provide the oil reservoir 8 located within the tube l. Lubricant from this reservoir enters the bearing surfaces through the oriiiee 8. The cylindrical portion of the section I is provided with a radial passage 9, which cooperates with a central longitudinal passage 9a therein. That part of the section I above the opening 9 is mounted in a sleeve I0 flanged as at II and adapted to rotate with the spindle. The upper end of the section I is beveled to receive the end I3 of bearing I2 in which is mounted the portion 2 of the spindle. The portion 2 is provided with a central longitudinal passage 9b adapted to cooperate with the passage 9a in the section I of the spindle. The

section 2 'is of smaller diameter than the section I of the spindle, the intermediate space I4 serving as an oil reservoir to which lubricant is introduced through the openings I5.

Any oil which might during the rapid rotation of the spindle tend to spatter upon and injure the filament will be caught and retained within the flanged portion II of the sleeve I0.

Mounted on the spindle 2 outside bearing I2 and attached to the upper end thereof by washer I6 and split spring ring I1 is the package support I8 adapted to receive a package of lament to be twisted into thread. Frictional contact between the support I8' and the bearing I2 is prevented by the oil reservoirs I9 to which oil may be admitted through openings 20. The package support I8 is enlarged and anged at its lower end to form the oil retaining cup 2|.

The spindle I may be actuated in any suitable manner, as by gear or pulley mechanism vor by an electric motor, but I prefer to use a uid operated mechanism such as shown at 22, which may be mounted directly on the spindle (see Fig. 4). To actuate the impeller I may introduce, by a suitable pump E (Fig. 5) air or similar fluid through the inlet 23, around the teeth of the impeller, and out through the exhaust 24. The air may pass from the inlet to the impeller through either of the air passages 25, 26 or 21 depending upon whether it is desired to rotate the spindle clockwise or counter-clockwise, or, where several spindles are used in series, to shut it oi from the rest of the unit. Thepassage of air to the impeller is regulated by thevalve 28 provided with the air orice 29 kand -operated by handle 30, the shaft of which projects through the housing 4 at 3l, 32. If for'example, it is desired to rotate the spindle in a clockwise direction the valve 28 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 4 permitting the air to owl through the inlet 23, opening 29 of the valve, and passage 26 to turn the impeller. If it is desired to rotate the impeller in a counter-clockwise direction the handle 30 will be turned to the position shown.

by the dotted hne 33, permitting the air to pass from the inlet 23 through the passage l29 of the.A valve and the passage 25 of the housing. If sev' f eral spindles are being operated in series. and it is desired to eliminate one, the handle 30 may be turned to the position shown by the dotted line 34. With the valve 28 so positioned, the incoming air will not have access to the spindle 22 at all, but will pass through inlet 23 and passages 29 and 21 to thenext spindle housing in the series, and the rotation of the spindle thus shut olf will be arrested as long as the valve 28- remains in that position.

If now it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of a spindle while it is in operation this may be done quickly and gradually without breaking or injuring the filament. 'I'he passages 25 and 26 are so located that, while the valve 28 is being turned, for example, from the position it occupies in Fig. 4 wherein the air reaches the impeller via passage 26 to the reverse position (wherein it reaches the impeller via passage 25), it will be seen that some air will ow through each passage, thereby gradually retarding the speed of the impeller during the change.

The package D of filament to be twisted is mounted on the core 35, which I prefer to positively lock to support I8 by edge-like inserts 36 on the support. An insert of the type illustrated will permit an empty core to be removed and a new one inserted and at the same time prevent rotation of the core while the spindle is rotating and the lament being unwound from it,

If desired I may also provide for the core a cap 31 of larger diameter than the core, to permit the lament to be freely unwound from the core. The cap 31 may consist of a hubportion 88 having inserts 39 adapted to grasp the core and hold the cap firmly against rotation with respect to the core while the thread is being unwound.

The support I8 is held against rotation with the spindle by magnet 40 having energizing coil 4I. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the magnet is U-shaped in cross section but forms a complete smooth circular enclosure about and spaced from the member 2l for the passage of the lament. It may be preferable to make the magnet 40 in two sections, which may be united in any suitable manner as by screws v42 (Fig. 3). The magnet assembly may be fastened to the frame B of the machine by lug 43 and screws 44.

It has been found that if, as shown, the oil cup 2l is made larger than the magnet assembly 40, the eiect of the magnet in preventing rotation of the package support I8 is increased by concentration'of the ux in the air gap 45.

'Ihe pointed end 46 of spindle-A serves as a thrust bearing to support the weight of the spindle and its attendant parts.

The operation of the device is as follows: The end DI of the filament to be twisted is guided by the operator from the package D, over the conical top 38 through the passages 9, thence over the outside of the oil cup 2l to guide I, thence to the take-up spool. The pump E is then started, and the control valve 28 moved toV parted to the thread before it reaches the guide I. Finally as in my copending application Serial No.Y 713,252, led February 28, 1934, Va third twist `4will be imparted to the filament as itis being wound on the take-up spool as the' nished thread.

It will be understood that the pump E by which air or other uid is admitted to the impeller may be driven in any well vknown manner Q as by an electric motor .(not shown).

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically an assembly consisting of several twisting units in series connected by the tube 41. The pump for circulating the uid by which the spindles are driven is indicated at E, the spindle units by G, H, while F denotes a speed control unit of any conventional type. When air is used for driving, the opening E1 of the pump communicates directly with the outside atmosphere at all times so that any loss or displacement of air in the circulatory system is at ,once compensated by the entry of air from the outside through this opening.

While I prefer to use air or other gaseous fluid for driving the spindles because it is cheap, clean and non-injurious to the materials being treated, it will be understood that anyl fluid medium may be used without departing from my invention in certain of its aspects.

By the use of `my invention, not only may the expense of operation be-greatly reduced, but in addition the speed at which the apparatus may be operated and the consequent 'output of iinished product can thereby be greatly'increased. I have found for example that a single spindle according to my invention can be operated at speeds as high as 50,000 to 75,000 revolutions per minute.

'I'he invention may be variously modied and embodied Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

1. In a mechanism adapted to operate on lamentary materials, a rotatable spindle, a package supporting device mounted on said spindle, a stationary magnet completely surrounding the spindle, said stationary magnet and said package supporting device having between them an annular space to permit orbital passage of the filament.

2. In a mechanism adapted to operate on filamentary materials, a rotatable spindle, a package supporting device mounted on said spindle and provided with an annular flange, and a stationary magnet completely surrounding the spindle and adapted to concentrate magnetic ux in said flange, an annular space being formed between said flange and said magnet to permit orbital passage of the filament.

3. In a device of the class'described, a rotatable spindle, a package supporting device mountedron said spindle, and a stationary magnet which comprises, a flanged annular ring member encasing an energizing coil adapted to act upon said package supporting device to hold it stationary.

FRANK HONIG. 

